Independent reviewer seeks farmer and interested stakeholder views

The head of the independent review into the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and farmers, Dr Wendy Craik, called for Australia’s farmers and other stakeholders to have their say on how national environment law affects them.

Dr Craik said, “Farmers are important stewards of our land and possess local understanding of their environment, including the specific trees, grasslands and species found there.

“However, feedback suggests many landholders are not always clear on the obligations that some proposed agricultural activities carry under the Australian Government’s main environmental law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

“To address this, an independent review is looking for farmers’ views to help the Australian Government streamline and improve the way it regulates and communicates landholder responsibilities under the EPBC Act.

“The independent review is specifically seeking to gather the views of farmers, industry groups and other stakeholders to better understand how the Act interacts with the agriculture sector, and to seek ways to improve regulation and help landholders meet the Act’s requirements.

“As a former Executive Director of the National Farmers’ Federation, I have worked closely with Australian farmers for a considerable part of my working life.

“I know they want to do the right thing as conservators of their land. But many find the Act complex and are seeking to understand their obligations more clearly.

“I’m particularly interested in your views on environmental referrals, assessment and approvals under the EPBC Act, and the listing and delisting process for threatened species and ecological communities.”

“In addition to targeted consultation that I will be undertaking over coming weeks, the independent review into the EPBC Act and the agriculture sector welcomes written submissions from any member of the public,” said Dr Craik.

Submissions are open from Monday 7 May 2018 until Friday 15 June 2018. People in the agriculture sector, as well as other interested stakeholders, are invited to provide written submissions to agreview@aither.com.au